Series Statement
In the fluorescent glow of Kyiv's Arsenalna metro station, eight-year-old Mila solves mathematics problems while distant air raid sirens create an oddly rhythmic backdrop to her concentration. Above ground, life has learned to pause and resume with practiced efficiency, but below, in the deepest subway system in the world, education continues with the determined normalcy that has come to define Ukraine's third year of war. This is not the Ukraine of breaking news headlines or military briefings—this is the Ukraine of adapted routines, improvised solutions, and the quiet heroism of simply continuing to live.
By 2024, Ukrainian society had undergone a profound psychological transformation that extends far beyond the immediate battlefield. The initial shock and emergency response of 2022 had evolved into something more complex: a systematic adaptation to perpetual uncertainty that reveals the remarkable plasticity of human communities under extreme stress. "The Third Year" documents this evolution, capturing how an entire nation has rewired itself to function during prolonged conflict while maintaining the essential elements that define civilian life—education, family bonds, economic activity, cultural expression, and planning for the future.
Petrenko's unique position as both participant and observer in this transformation provides unprecedented access to the intimate moments of adaptation that define wartime civilian existence. Her camera captures not the dramatic moments that dominate international coverage, but the quiet persistence that allows society to endure: businesses operating by generator power during infrastructure attacks, families celebrating holidays in basement shelters, elderly patients receiving medical care in hospital basements, and teenagers planning university applications while living as internal refugees.
The series reveals how prolonged conflict creates its own strange normalcy. Children have learned to identify air raid sirens by their patterns and know which subway stations provide the deepest shelter. Restaurant owners have mastered the art of maintaining service during power outages. Families have developed communication protocols for staying connected when fathers serve at the front and mothers work multiple jobs to maintain household income. These adaptations represent more than mere survival—they constitute a form of civilian resistance that maintains human dignity and social cohesion despite systematic attempts to destroy both.
Beyond documenting individual resilience, the work captures the collective innovations that have emerged from necessitу. Community gardens flourish in the courtyards of bombed buildings, providing both food security and psychological grounding in an uncertain world. Shared apartments house multiple displaced families who have created new forms of extended kinship networks. Neighborhood organizations coordinate everything from generator sharing during blackouts to information networks that supplement official communications during emergencies.
The visual approach emphasizes natural light and environmental portraiture to show people within their adapted living spaces, revealing how physical environments have been modified for wartime safety while retaining elements of comfort and personal identity. The photography captures both the improvised nature of wartime existence and the intentional efforts to preserve normalcy, dignity, and hope for the future that defines Ukrainian civilian response to prolonged conflict.
Image Captions
Photo 1 - Underground Classroom Eight-year-old Mila works on mathematics problems in Kyiv's Arsenalna metro station during air raid alert, March 2024. Natural light from station entrances illuminates her notebook as she maintains educational routine despite constant security threats. Her concentrated expression represents how Ukrainian children have adapted to receiving education in bomb shelters while maintaining academic progress during the war's third year.
Photo 2 - Holiday Resilience The Kovalenko family celebrates Easter dinner in their basement shelter in Kharkiv, April 2024. Traditional Ukrainian decorations and painted eggs create warmth against concrete walls while candlelight illuminates their determined celebration of cultural traditions. Their persistence in maintaining holiday observances despite ongoing shelling demonstrates how Ukrainian families preserve cultural identity and family bonds during prolonged conflict.
Photo 3 - Business Adaptation Restaurant owner Andriy Bondar serves customers by generator power during infrastructure blackout in central Kyiv, November 2024. Candles supplement artificial lighting as diners continue their evening meals despite power grid attacks. His commitment to maintaining business operations and community gathering spaces represents economic resilience and civilian determination to preserve normal social life during extended warfare.
Photo 4 - Medical Continuity Seventy-three-year-old Maria Fedorovna receives dialysis treatment in basement medical facility at Kyiv hospital during air raid, September 2024. Healthcare workers maintain critical medical services in reinforced basement spaces designed for patient safety during attacks on civilian infrastructure. The scene demonstrates healthcare system adaptation and medical staff dedication to patient care despite ongoing targeting of medical facilities.
Photo 5 - Digital Connection Sixteen-year-old Anya video calls with her father serving in eastern Ukraine while her mother works on laptop during evening curfew in their Lviv apartment, August 2024. The family maintains emotional bonds and work productivity through technology despite physical separation and security restrictions. Their adaptation represents how Ukrainian families use digital tools to preserve relationships and economic stability during wartime displacement.
Photo 6 - Community Gardens Neighbors tend vegetables planted in bombed apartment courtyard in Bucha, June 2024. The community garden provides food security and psychological grounding while demonstrating civilian self-reliance during extended conflict. Their collaborative cultivation of damaged urban space shows how Ukrainian communities create mutual aid networks and maintain hope for future stability through practical action.
Photo 7 - Future Planning University students Oleksandr and Viktoria review admission applications while sharing cramped apartment with other displaced families in western Ukraine, October 2024. Despite uncertain present circumstances, they continue planning for post-secondary education and career development. Their commitment to academic advancement during wartime represents Ukrainian determination to build futures beyond current conflict and maintain educational progress despite displacement.
Photo Series Image Prompts
Photo 1 Prompt: Young Ukrainian girl solving math problems in metro station during air raid, notebook and pencils on concrete bench, natural light from station entrance, other civilians reading quietly in background, underground subway platform environment, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 50mm f/2.8 lens, available natural lighting creating gentle illumination, medium shot showing concentration amid adversity, warm color treatment emphasizing human dignity, contemplative mood despite challenging circumstances, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 2 Prompt: Ukrainian family celebrating Easter dinner in basement shelter, traditional painted eggs and holiday decorations on concrete table, candlelight illuminating faces gathered around meal, religious icons visible on makeshift walls, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 35mm f/4 lens, warm candlelight creating intimate atmosphere, group portrait showing cultural resilience, rich warm colors from candlelight contrasting with concrete surroundings, dignified celebration mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 3 Prompt: Restaurant owner serving customers by generator power during blackout, candles on tables supplementing artificial lighting, diners continuing evening meals despite power outage, urban restaurant interior with improvised lighting solutions, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 24mm f/5.6 lens, mixed artificial and candlelight creating dramatic atmosphere, wide shot showing business continuity, warm golden light contrasting with dark surroundings, resilient community mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 4 Prompt: Elderly woman receiving dialysis treatment in hospital basement, medical equipment in reinforced underground facility, healthcare worker monitoring patient during air raid, clinical basement environment adapted for patient safety, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 85mm f/4 lens, clinical fluorescent lighting mixed with emergency lighting, close portrait showing medical care continuity, sterile medical colors with warm human elements, dedicated care mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 5 Prompt: Teenage girl video calling father on laptop while mother works nearby during evening curfew, modern apartment interior with blackout curtains, multiple family members connected through technology despite separation, domestic setting adapted for security, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 50mm f/3.5 lens, laptop screen providing primary lighting, environmental portrait showing family connection, blue screen light contrasting with warm domestic lighting, hopeful connection mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 6 Prompt: Community members tending vegetable garden in bombed apartment courtyard, green plants growing amid concrete rubble, neighbors collaborating on food cultivation, urban destruction repurposed for community benefit, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 35mm f/8 lens, natural daylight emphasizing growth and renewal, wide shot showing transformation of destruction, vibrant greens contrasting with grey concrete, community resilience mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photo 7 Prompt: Young couple reviewing university applications in crowded shared apartment, displaced families living together, books and documents spread on small table, modest temporary housing adapted for multiple families, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 50mm f/4 lens, warm interior lighting from lamps, intimate shot showing future planning, warm domestic colors creating hope, determined optimism mood, award-winning photojournalism, World Press Photo winner
Photographer Portrait Prompt
Ukrainian woman in early 30s with determined and empathetic expression, wearing practical photographer attire suitable for challenging conditions, slight smile suggesting both personal strength and professional compassion, standing with camera equipment in domestic or community setting, natural lighting highlighting resilient features, professional portrait, shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with 85mm f/1.8 lens, environmental portrait style, warm lighting emphasizing authenticity and connection to subject matter
